From The Slits in the ‘70s to Bratmobile in the ‘90s, female-identifying individuals have been using punk music as a vessel for self-expression and social change for decades. Through punk, countless women have found their voices and made them heard. Among these fierce females are Janey, Anya, and Lucy of Dream Nails. Dream Nails is a London, UK based independent band recognized for their energy, spirit, and unapologetic politics. They released their first EP in 2016, and are in the process of crowdfunding for their next project – a compilation of recordings called, “Dare to Care,” which tackles topics of self care and perseverance. READ MORE

As we continue to slip down the slope of sociopolitical turbulence, it is an act of self-care to reserve space for art that reminds us of gold beneath the rubble. It is important to hold space for art that invites us to rise. In September 2016, singer-songwriter Solange Knowles graced us with her third studio album, A Seat at the Table, and as a result, affirmed my presence during a time where I felt invisible … READ MORE

A new ep. of Shameless Talks is here! Hosted by one of our editors, Julia De Laurentiis Johnson, this podcast is an accessory to our print issues and will bring you even more of the smart & fierce discussions you’ve come to expect from the pages of Shameless.
In this episode, we’re talking Politics! And it’s a very special one because it’s our first-ever live episode, a recording of our Politics issue launch where storytellers … READ MORE

If you’ve ever mused about starting your own podcast, ‘zine, photography project, or another idea, do it now! It’s an incredibly fascinating time to get involved in media production. Right now there is an abundance of people involved in making media from the frontlines of movements and the communities hardest hit by our society’s deep injustices. READ MORE

‘Growing Up Black in Canada’ is a writers’ series brought to you by Black Futures Now Toronto in partnership with Shameless Magazine. The series is meant to bring forward local and personal Black histories that do not fit into mainstream narratives about what it means to be a young person in Canada. Throughout the series we will highlight the non-fiction work of five young writers from various backgrounds. Through their stories, we will explore what … READ MORE

Over the past 25 years, women’s rates of incarceration have skyrocketed. In Canada, the statistics are grim, as recent reports have confirmed that Indigenous women are among the fastest growing prison populations in the country, as poverty-related crimes and nonviolent drug sentences have translated into life-sentences for many. READ MORE

Being depressed can feel like being stuck in a deep hole where no one can hear your screams. For me, it was not showering for 3 weeks, forgetting to brush my teeth, staying in bed for days, lying in filth, not cleaning my room. Clothes all over the floor, eating too much, eating too little, sleeping too much, not sleeping at all. Being depressed was constantly dealing with the thought that I would be better off dead. It was several hospitalizations. It was feeling worthless. It was missing school for weeks. It was feeling as if I did not have any friends or that nobody loved me. It was feeling as if I did not matter to anyone. Being depressed was living in my own hell on earth. READ MORE

‘Growing Up Black in Canada’ is a writers’ series brought to you by Black Futures Now Toronto in partnership with Shameless Magazine. The series is meant to bring forward local and personal Black histories that do not fit into mainstream narratives about what it means to be a young person in Canada. Throughout the series we will highlight the non-fiction work of five young writers from various backgrounds. Through their stories, we will explore what … READ MORE

Hello dear Shameless readers!
I was so inspired by Letters Lived: Radical Reflections, Revolutionary Paths edited by our very own Shameless editor, Sheila Sampath, that I came back after taking a blogging break and wrote my own letter.
Letters Lived is an inspiring short read from writers and activists writing to their younger selves, as adults. Ever want to reassure, guide or share your 20/20 hindsight with yourself after the fact? Letters Lived offers that very promise. … READ MORE

‘Growing Up Black in Canada’ is a writers’ series brought to you by Black Futures Now Toronto in partnership with Shameless Magazine. The series is meant to bring forward local and personal Black histories that do not fit into mainstream narratives about what it means to be a young person in Canada. Throughout the series we will highlight the non-fiction work of five young writers from various backgrounds. Through their stories, we will explore what … READ MORE

A new ep. of Shameless Talks is here! Hosted by our arts editor, Julia De Laurentiis Johnson, this podcast is an accessory to our print issues and will bring you even more of the kind of smart & fierce discussion you’ve come to expect from the pages of Shameless.
In this episode, we’re talking about Independence! You’ll hear from Vivek Shraya, a multi-disciplinary artist, writer and musician, talk about trying out different methods to fine-tune … READ MORE

I recently learned about the My Name, My Identity initiative. This campaign, created by the Santa Clara County Office of Education in California, USA, invites teachers and school districts to commit to saying students’ names correctly and fostering diversity in the classroom. The project also includes a social media hashtag, #mynamemyid, and encourages youth to share the stories and significance of their names. READ MORE

Did you participate in the Women’s March on January 21st? Many of us did – millions, in fact, in countries across the globe. But did all of us make it to the march, or feel included there? Before the march, in an article for TheEstablishment.com, Emily Ladau pointed out that disability was mentioned exactly twice in the Women’s March’s platform. One of those mentions referred to caring for and chronic illnesses as a “burden.” Yep. READ MORE

Witchcraft is a concept that Western culture and society at large has been obsessed with for as long as it has existed. Its idea represents the ultimate “other” from a dominating patriarchal, Christian society: a collective of women free from shame and imbued with power, grace, and sexuality. In this dominating society, the idea of a free community of Pagans proved unacceptable, the most notable example being Salem’s oppression of real or imagined witches. However, … READ MORE

The crisis of the missing and murdered First Nations women of Canada is both a national tragedy and a national shame. The first women’s memorial march was held in 1991 in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside in response to the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street. Though her name is not spoken out of respect for her family, an annual march on Valentine’s Day to express compassion, community and caring for all women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside commenced. Since then, memorial marches across Canada have been held annually. READ MORE

A review of Panther by Brecht Evens (Drawn and Quarterly, 2016, $32.95)
My cat Jasmine was a flouncy calico with celery-green eyes and a taste for yogurt and grass snakes. Her haughty manner and the roughly 40% of her that was ginger reminded me of the old movie star Rita Hayworth. When I was lucky, she’d anoint me with her presence on my bed. She was my buddy and secret-keeper for 14 years. When she died … READ MORE